“Now the focus must be on making sure the promise of 100,000 tests is delivered and that these tests reach those who need them most, including our frontline NHS staff,” he added.

He also said the UK now needed to be ready to “protect the entire population” from coronavirus as soon as a vaccine becomes available.

“That means building vaccination centres in towns and cities across the country, working with world leaders to guarantee global supply and ensuring key workers and the most vulnerable are at the front of the queue,” he said.

The government must listen to frontline NHS and care workers about the lack of personal protective equipment, he continued.

“We have heard too many stories of staff unable to get the equipment they need to keep them safe or to adequately care for patients”, Sir Keir said.

Ministers should also set out when the social distancing measures might be lifted and their plan for economic recovery to protect the hardest hit, he said.

Sir Keir described coronavirus as a “national emergency” and a “global emergency”.

He said he wants to “see the government succeed” in defeating it, but that, under his leadership, Labour will provide “strong, effective and responsible opposition”.

He added that would not mean “scoring political points or opposing for the sake of opposing”, but “challenging the government and asking difficult questions when it is necessary”.

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Media captionThe new Labour leader recorded a video where he spoke of the “honour” of the post and the effect of coronavirus

Sir Keir spoke to Prime Minister Boris Johnson after his victory and agreed to meet next week to discuss the coronavirus crisis.

The lawyer, who became an MP in 2015, won the Labour leadership contest on the first round of voting, with more than 50% of ballots cast.

Meanwhile, shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner has been elected deputy leader, replacing Tom Watson, who stood down as an MP before the election.

In a video message released by the Labour Party, Sir Keir promised to work constructively in opposition and said he hoped Labour “when the time comes can serve our country again – in government”.

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